Coping with the
physical, emotional, or developmental disabilities of a special needs child is
part of the daily life of many parents.
Then there is the added financial burden of providing care and security
for all family members, both today and in the future. Parents are encouraged to
call upon the trained expertise of financial and legal advisors.
Last week, I came across an excellent though brief article highlighting some of the important
aspects of Special Needs Planning, which include:
·
Retirement and Estate Planning for the parents.
·
Reviewing any beneficiary designations for life
insurance, qualified retirement plans or annuities to ensure any inherited
assets will not disqualify your special needs child from receiving vital
federal benefits.
·
Consideration of establishing a Special Needs
Trust to accumulate mange and disburse monies for any child with a disability.
·
Protecting the financial security of other
family members – including college funds for other children in the family.
If you are the
parent of a special needs child, or know someone who is, I encourage you to
visit the Special Needs
Practice Center on our website. There you will find an abundance of
information and resources, including our Free Report: Special
People…Special Plans.